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The Arc Awarded Grant From Anthem Foundation for Health and Fitness for All Project

/in /by The Arc

Grant will support programming in Kentucky, Texas and Wisconsin

Washington, DC – The Arc is pleased to announce it has received nearly $88,000 of funding from the Anthem Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc., to support the Health and Fitness for All project. The project’s training curriculum was developed by the University of Illinois at Chicago, and provides overall structured information on how to organize and start a tailored physical activity and health education program for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The award will be used to conduct this health project at nine chapters certified in the HealthMatters curriculum at The Arc in Kentucky, Texas, and Wisconsin.

In 2016, The Arc received comparable funding for this initiative from the Anthem Foundation. The program resulted in roughly half of participants reporting a healthy blood pressure, along with 71% of participants revealing increased knowledge of healthy foods and healthy behaviors. Drawing on a very successful first year, the nine chapters will implement the 12-week program with a drive to increase results to approximately 225 participants at the following locations: The Arc of Kentucky, The Arc of Central Kentucky, The Arc of Barren County (KY), The Pointe Arc in Northern Kentucky, The Arc of San Antonio (TX), The Arc of Wisconsin, The Arc Greater Columbia County (WI), The Arc of Racine County, Inc. (WI) and The Arc Fond du Lac (WI).

“Leading a healthy lifestyle is difficult for everyone, including people with IDD. The Arc is fortunate to have the generous support of the Anthem Foundation so we can continue to provide education and resources that will help people with IDD make healthier decisions in their daily lives,” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc. According to the Centers for Disease Control, adults with disabilities have a 58% higher rate of obesity than adults without disabilities due to certain challenges individuals face with IDD related to eating healthy, maintaining weight and being physically active. Nonetheless, since 2012, The Arc has continued to reach over 700 participants with the use of the HealthMatters curriculum and provided those with IDD the tools and resources needed to lead healthier lives.

“We’re pleased to team with The Arc to continue to support their efforts to ensure all individuals, regardless of their abilities, have access to information that encourages a healthier lifestyle,” said Craig Samitt, MD, chief clinical officer at Anthem, Inc. “The results of their program are further evidence of the value they bring to the communities they serve to help create a healthier generations of Americans.”

The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of more than 665 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with IDD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.

About Anthem Foundation

The Anthem Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc. and through charitable contributions and programs, the Foundation promotes the inherent commitment of Anthem, Inc. to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that Anthem, Inc. and its affiliated health plans serve. The Foundation focuses its funding on strategic initiatives that address and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges, as well as promoting the Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets specific disease states and medical conditions. These disease states and medical conditions include: prenatal care in the first trimester, low birth weight babies, cardiac morbidity rates, long term activities that decrease obesity and increase physical activity, diabetes prevalence in adult populations, adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and smoking cessation. The Foundation also coordinates the company’s year-round Associate Giving program which provides a 50 percent match of associates’ pledges, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. To learn more about the Anthem Foundation, please visit https://www.anthem.foundation and its blog at https://anthemfoundation.tumblr.com.

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Eruption Athletics, an Innovative Approach to Making Fitness Fun

/in /by The Arc

Eruption AthleticsThe Arc recently paired up with the dynamic duo of Chris Engler and Joe Jelinski, the co-owners of Eruption Athletics, to present at the National Down Syndrome Congress Conference. Together, The Arc and EA, presented 3 health and fitness sessions – 1 to the general conference and 2 interactive fitness sessions with their Youth and Adult conference for self-advocates.

Eruption Athletics (EA) was created in 2009 to help prepare individuals competing in Special Olympics’ games. Since then the organization has evolved into an adapted fitness facility designed specifically for individuals with disabilities to come to work out and learn more about health and fitness. Located just outside Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, EA first partnered with The Arc’s Achieva Chapter to help do fitness sessions at their free health assessment events as part of the HealthMeet project.

Joe and Chris help empower their clients with the knowledge of how to be physically active to build strength and endurance while preventing injuries. They provide personal one-on-one or group training sessions. Their program instills in their clients an attitude that there is nothing they can’t do because of their disability and shows them that exercises just need to be modified or adjusted to fit each individual’s specific needs. Spend two minutes in a room with Joe and Chris and you’ll know why they have a dedicated following of clients that continue to come back. Their bright colored clothing matches their high energy vibe and excitement that they bring to each training session.

Individuals that come to their classes are not only becoming more physically active they are also developing socially and cognitively. The group sessions with peers masks working out by providing a fun, social, and supportive environment that makes individuals actually look forward to exercising! It gives them a place to go each week to see old friends, meet new ones, and be part of a group that encourages each person to fulfill their own potential without comparison to others in the program. Their innovative approach to physical activity is helping to improve their clients physically and mentally by not only building muscle, but also self-confidence through proven results.

EA has recently released their new patented Eruption Athletics “Volcano PADD”. The PADD along with the accompanying instruction manuals that vary from beginner to advanced makes exercising easier, fun, and more accessible for individuals with disabilities. To learn more about EA’s Volcano PADD, contact Eruption Athletics.

This isn’t the last you’ll be seeing of Eruption Athletics though. They will be joining us in October down in New Orleans for The Arc’s National Convention. Joe and Chris will be combining forces with the HealthMeet project again to provide morning fitness sessions – so make sure to find out what all the hype is about and join us in New Orleans for our energizing sessions to get your day started right (and make some new friends in the process!).

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HealthMeet: Top 5 Exercises for People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

/in /by The Arc

Guest post by Jared Ciner, Certified Personal Trainer, Disabilities Support Counselor, Founder/Director of SPIRIT Fit & Health

As you may already know, an extremely high percentage of people in America are suffering from obesity. What you may not know is that people with developmental and other disabilities are 58% more likely to be obese than the general population, and they make up roughly 20% of our country’s citizens. As a society, it is our duty to provide the necessary resources and support that enable people with disabilities to be healthy. The purpose of this article is to begin enabling people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to take control of their lives through the practice of health-promoting exercises that are safe, effective and tailored specifically towards their needs.

As a certified personal trainer, I believe that partaking in proper exercise and physical activities empowers us as human beings, and allows us to reach our mental, emotional and physical potential. As a support counselor, I know that people with IDD often require adapted strategies in order to accomplish certain functional goals. In April of 2013, I teamed up with Sam Smith, certified personal trainer and proud young man with Asperger’s syndrome, to design and implement group health & fitness programs for teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Below are five exercises that we encourage all people, including those with an IDD, to practice in order to maximize their strength, health and independence. Each exercise focuses in improving stability, strength and cardiovascular endurance. (Access a readable file here.)